Lamp.



c. 1. mm;

LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1913.

' Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

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grweaiwt/ eglat p gljgu n C. J. KLEIN.

' LAMP. APEHCATION FILED MYI'H. I913.

1 ,262 ,5 1 7. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

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Q WM C. J. KLEIN LAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAY a1. 1913.

0Q m m Mu M E. 3 mm WH m P M W. mum 6 m w x 1 Q CHARLES J. KLEIN, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed May 31, 1913. Serial No. 770,968.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lamps, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lamps.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a reflector for a vehicle lamp which is shaped so that it will project a substantially oval beam of light. Another object is to provide a one piece lamp body and reflector made out of material which can be molded into shape and glazed on the outside for finishing the same and on the inside for providing a reflecting surface.

Another object is to provide a vehicle lamp in which the lamp body and reflector are formed in one piece out of suitable plastic material.

A further object is to provide a reflector which will project an eflicient beam of light having a minimum glaring effect.

A further object is to provide a lamp body and reflector which can be easily and inexpensivelv manufactured.

Another ob ect is to provlde a lamp body and reflector having a dark reflecting surface for reducing the glare of the light.-

Another object is to provide an improved means for adjusting the position of the light-giving element of a lamp with relation to the focus of the reflector.

A further object is to provide improved means for attaching the lamp to a support.

Another object is to provideimproved means foiflsecuring the glass front of the lamp in place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will, hereinafter appear.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line -\B of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the glass retaining ring shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section,

for this purpose.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the lamp shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the glass retaining ring shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 7 is-an end view of the adjustable lam sleeve. 1

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing the parabolic outline of the reflector at sections taken on lines C-D and EF respectively of Fig. 5.

The body and reflector of the lamp illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a bell-shaped structure 10, preferably molded in one piece out of plastic vitreous material and subsequently hardened or baked by any satisfactory process. Porcelain or pottery clay or other opaque vitreous material is suitable The exterior of the body may be ornamentally glazed in any desired color to give it a finished appearance and to provide a wearing surface which may be easily cleaned. The interior of the body is fire glazed with silver or other suitable material to provide a dark reflecting surface 10. The shape of the interior reflecting surface is, in general paraboloidal. In vertical and horizontal section the outline of the reflecting surface is a true parabola but the diameter of the parabolic outline at the vertical section is less than the diameter of the parabolic outline of the horizontal section, as will be hereinafter described.

Extending around the inside of the lamp, adjacent the front end thereof. is a shoulder 11 against which the glass front 12 is held by a split ring 13 that fits snugly into the circumferential groove 14, just forward of the shoulder 11. The split ring 13 is punched so as to provide a plurality of resilient fingers 1:") which serve to hold the glass front 12 in place. Another form of split ring which may be employed to retain the glass front in position, isshown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. As illustrated, the split wire ring 16 is provided with a plurality of sleeves 17, formed with resilient fingers 18 which press the glass front tightly against the shoulder 11.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, a sleeve 19 is fitted in the outwardly tapering opening 20 extending through-the reduced end of the lamp. This sleeve serves as a holder for the socket 21, which in turn carries the bulb 22, and is secured in place by a plurality of resilient teeth 23 adapted to exert nut, the band may be contracted so t pressure against the sides of said opening. It is obvious that the sleeve 19 may serve as a holder for a great variety of light-giving elements, and also that the opening 20 may be modified in contour to suit any desired form of sleeve. The teeth 23, which are shown more clearly in Fig. 7 are formed by cutting longitudinal slits 24 in one end of the sleeve and bending outwardly the free edges provided thereby. That end of the sleeve which protrudes from the openin 20, is provided with screw-threads 25. 1 cup-shaped nut 26 turns on the threads 25, and is provided with an opening 27, through which the electric leads 28 may be passed to the socket 21. This nut bears against the reduced end of the lamp and serves to regulate the position of the bulb 22 with relation to the focus of the reflector.

Girdling the reduced end of the lamp shown in Fig. 1, is a split band 29, the ends of which are formed with outwardly extending flanges 30. A bolt 31 passes through the openings 32 in said flanges, and is held in place by a nut 33. By tighteningr1 said at it will grip the lamp with great pressure. As an additional means for preventing the lamp from slipping or working loose, a lurality of lugs 34 are formed on the insice of the band. These lugs fit snugly into the recesses 35 on the outside of the lamp. Attached to the band 29 is an eye 36, by which the lamp may be secured to any suitable support. After the lamp has been placed on its support, it may be firmly clamped thereto by a set screw 37, fitted in an opening 38 in the wall of the eye 36.

The lamp shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is adapted to be supported from its front end. In this construction. the front end is formed with a broad, flat rim 39, and a built-out flattened base 40. The strap 41, which serves to secure the lamp in place, passes around said rim and is fastened to any suitable support by its threaded extremities 42 and the nuts 43. In order to prevent the lamp from joggling loose. a plurality of lugs 44 are provided on the inside of the strap. These lugs fit snugly into recesses 45 formed on the outside of the rim 39.

The reflectors heretoforeused for vehicle lamps have been adapted to throw a circular beam of light, and consequently a great deal of the light projected was dissipated upwardly into the air, instead of being concentrated on the road. It has been found that when a circular paraboloidal reflector is distorted so that one diameter is shorter than the other that the beam of light projected thereby is widened, the major axis of the beam being atright angles to the minor axis of the reflector. T have made useyof this phenomenon in the reflector herein shown by forming the same in the shape of a distorted paraboloid so that the reflected beam of light is widened. By placing the lamp in proper position the light may be projected so that the major axis of the beam is substantially horizontal and accordingly when the lamp is used on a vehicle the light is efliciently distributed over the roadway.

the distortion, the major axis of the beam may be given any desired angle.

A strong objection to vehicle headlights now in common use is that the light isso reflected as to cause a glare in the eyes of the driver of a vehicle moving in the opposite direction. Bv employing a dark reflecting surface instead of a bright one such as is ordinarily used, it is possible to project the light so that it will not cause a glare on the eyes whenviewed from any other poin than its focus.

It will be seen that a vehicle lamp has been provided which may be readily and inexpensively manufactured out of a comparatively inexpensive material. In addition to reducing the original cost and the cost of replacement of structures of this kind, a lamp has been provided which is simple, neat, capable of being readily cleaned and which distributes the light at points where it is needed with the least possible glaring effect. By constructing the lamp body out of vitreous material the outside surface thereof can be given a finished appearance and it is free from corrugations and joints and can therefore be easily cleaned. Moreover, the body is rigid and consequently the interior reflecting surface cannot be distorted. This reflecting surface is fire glazed into the material, and it therefore cannot be easily scratched or otherwise damaged. The reflecting surface is dark glazed so that it causes a minimum glare. The lighting element is secured in the body through a simple opening therein and it may be ad justed without, necessitating the manipulation of complicated parts. This feature also enables the body to be simply constructed. A distorted paraboloidal reflecting surface, such as herein disclosed, throws an oval beam of light which may be adjusted so that its major axis is horizontal thereby distributing a concentrated beam of light over the surface of the road.

lit should be understood that the structure shown and described herein is for purposes of illustration only and that other structures may be devised embodying the invention which are included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

It should also be understood that the expression distorted paraboloid does not mean 4 that the vertical and horizontal parabolic outlines of the reflector are distorted into untrue parabolas. In other words, the horizontal and vertical outlines of the reflector may be true parabolas in spite of the fact that the paraboloid is distorted.

Having fully and clearly described my 1nvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle lamp having an integral body formed of molded vitreous material, said body being glazed on the outside to form a finished surface and being dark glazed on the interior to provide a non-glaring reflecting surface.

2. A vehicle lamp having an integral body formed ofimolded vitreous material, said body being glazed on the outside and formed with a distorted paraboloidal interior -refleeting surface for projecting an oval beam of light.

3. A vehicle lamp having an integral body formed of molded vitreous material, said body being glazed on the outside and formed with a distorted paraboloidal dark glazed interior reflecting surface for projecting a non-glaring oval beam of light.

4. A vehicle lamp having an integral body formed of molded vitreous material, said body having a distorted paraboloidal inner surface dark glazed to project a non-glaring oval beam of light,'said body having an opening therein and means in said opening for adj ustably supporting a light-giving element in said body.

5. An automobile lamp having a body formed of opaque vitreous material glazed on the outer surface and provided with a glazed interiorparabolic reflecting surface.

6. A lamp, comprising a molded body formed with a reduced end and having an interior reflecting surface, a retaining band extending around said reduced end, means attached to said band to prevent said body from slipping, and supporting means formed on said band.

7. A lamp, comprising a body having :2

I reduced end, said reduced end being provided with a plurality of recesses, a strap girdling said reduced end, a plurality of lugs formed on'the inside of said strap and adapted to fit in said recesses, and means whereby said strap can be caused to firmly grip said reduced end.

8. A headlight, comprising a molded body having a distorted parabolic interior dark reflecting surface adapted to throw an oval thread at the other, a plurality of resilient teeth on the outside of said member formed by .bending outwardly the edges provided by said longitudinal slits, and a nut fitted on the threaded end of said member.

10. In combination with a lamp having an interior reflecting surface formed with a circumferential,groove, a front for said lamp, a retaining-ring fitting in said groove, and a plurality of sleeves carried by said ring, said .sleeves being formed with outwardly extending resilient fingers for holding said front in place.

11. In combination with a lamp bodyhaving an interior reflecting surface formed with a circumferential groove, a glass front for said lamp, a retaining ring fitting in said groove, and a plurality of resilient fingers connected to said ring.

12. A lamp body provided with a distorted interior paraboloidal reflecting surfacehaving the contour of a true parabola along the vertical and horizontal diameters.

.13. A lamp body provided with an interior-reflecting surface having the contour of a true parabola along the vertical and horizontal diameters and having the diameter of one parabola shorter than that of the other. r

14. A.lamp body provided with an interior reflecting surface having the contour of a true parabola along the'vertical and horizontal diameters and having the diameter of the vertical. parabola shorter than that of the horizontal parabola.

15. A lamp comprising a body portion formed of molded vitreous material and'hav 17. A vehicle lamp. comprising a bodyportion formed of a molded vitreous material and having a distorted paraboloidal intes rior reflecting surface. i

In witness whereof, I havehereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES J. KLEIN.

Witnesses:

FRANK H. HUBBARD, L. F. WALsoN. 

